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Why am I somehow not surprised this is getting an adaptation? Seriously, I can't understand why this series is so popular. Is it because it takes a classic fantasy setting, and completely turns every fantasy element on its head, therefore making the series "refreshing"?

Maybe its just me but... this is seriously the darkest, cruelest fantasy series I've ever read. I had a very hard time getting through the first two books, and haven't even touched the third yet. I like to actually get attached to one set of main characters and not have to have a completely new set take their place...

Damm, the preview was violent. The beginning shows a group of riders called the Night Watch going into the forest behind a mountain pass called the Iron Wall to find some people only to find them cut into pieces by some creepy blue-eye race called "The White Walkers" (which TVtropes says were actually called "The Others" in the novels). The only survivor of the Night Watch is caught for desertion and is executed by Eddard Stark, the Lord of Winterfell, whose lands border near the Iron Wall. Witnessing the execution is Stark's men and his sons including ten year old Bran which Ed tells him why it is his duty to do the execution.

With what i saw, the series is going to be good and this show is no "Good vs Evil" kids story, it's violent, a very violent adult fantasy story. Heck one scene shows a dead kid pinned onto a tree by the White Walkers! Can't wait to watch the full 1st episode.

PS:If you live in Asia, good news. HBO Asia will airing Game of Thrones but they haven't announced the air date.

Great first episode (I especially loved the OP, not necessarily the music (the overall score was okay, but a little too...enthusiastic at times), but the design and layout of the entire world map and the "construction" of the major cities; quite interesting and very symbolic of the story being told). I haven't been this impressed by a new show since Dexter first aired.

Spoiler for slight spoiler for the books:

One major-minor complaints: the Dire Wolves were hardly featured. These are pivotal characters (well, extensions of the main characters, but still pivotal to the various character's definition and development), and we didn't even learn their names let alone see the children's reaction to the wolves.

Whatever the case, this was a strong first episode that covered quite a bit of ground. Can't wait to see more. 85/100.

Do you think it was necessary to see the reactions of the children? We'll probably learn the names of the wolves later too. I haven't read the book yet, but it is so very interesting that you say they are pivotal to the main characters. That is neat.

Yeah, since this the first HBO series i ever seen uncensored, i wasn't prepared for the nudity, the sex, f-words, swear words and incest!

So here's my short synopsis of this episode:
Ned Stark is Lord of Winterfell, who's lands border the Ironwall, a giant mountain area which guards the Seven Kingdoms against a group of people from the north called the "White Walkers". After executing a deserter from the Nightwatch, the rangers who guard the Ironwall(the deserter witness his fellow rangers killed by the White Walkers, freak out and ran), Ned, his sons and retainers find a dead Dire Wolf and it's cubs. At first Ned wants put down the cubs but John Snow, Ned's illegitimate son, convinces his father to spare them since Dire Wolves are the Stark's family emblem, much to the relief of Bran Stark, his younger brother. All six wolf cubs are given to each of Ned's children(including John) as pets. Meanwhile in King's Landing, the capital of the Seven Kingdoms, Jon Arryn, The Hand of the King(which makes him the 2nd most powerful person in kingdom) has died. Watching his funeral is Cersei Baratheon, the King's wife and her twin brother, Jaime Lannister, Captain of the Kingsguard, who are discussing the secret that Jon may or may not knew will be going to his grave. Later, Robert Baratheon, the King of the Seven Kingdoms visits Winterfell and asks Ned to be his new Hand of the King. Also visiting Winterfell is Jaime, his younger brother Tyrion Lannister, who is a dwarf(he's first introduced being serve by a prostitute and later 3 more thanks to Jaime!) Robert and Cersei children including their son and heir Prince Joffrey(who kinda reminds me of Draco Malfoy), who takes an interest with Ned's eldest daughter, Sansa. John has a talk with his uncle Benjen Stark, the leader of the Nigthwatch, as he wants to join him at the Ironwall and later Tyrion, who the latter gives John some advice on how he shouldn't let his status as Ned's bastard get to him but use it as an armor so no one can use it to hurt him. As Ned thinks about Robert's proposal inclduing arranging a marriage between their children, Ned's wife Catelyn receives a secret message from her sister and Jon's window, Lysa who has ran from the capital as she believes her husband was murdered by the Lannisters, who are planning to overthrow Robert. Meanwhile in Pentos, a country east from the Seven Kingdoms, Viserys Targaryen, the exiled prince who's father was the previous King to rule the 7 Kingdoms before the Baratheons overthrow him, wants to regain his rightful throne. In order to do that, he and an ally of his Illyrio, a rich merchant arrange a marriage between Khal Drogo, warlord of the Dothraki, a powerful tribe of barbarian horsemen and Viserys's younger sister, Daenerys. (Truth be told, Viserys relationship with his sister creeps me out since i remember reading somewhere that the Targaryens practice incest! And not making things any better is the fact on how he looks at Daenerys naked and making a comment that he is willing to let his sister get raped by Khal's men if it gets him Khal's army to invade the 7 Kingdoms!) The wedding party was.....wild. The violence and the rest i expected but the "sex dancing" i did not! One thing that caught my eye was Illyrio wedding gift for Daenerys; 3 Dragon Eggs. The eggs might play an important in the story but for now they look useless. (I feel sorry for Daenerys since she's nothing more but a tool for her brother's plans. And i can't wait for the subtitles for the Dothraki language) The episode ends with Ned and Robert going hunting and Bran climbing a tower and finding Jaime having sex with......Cersei! (Oh come on! More incest!? First the Targaryens and now the Lannister too?!) Bran gets caught by Jaime and pushes him off the tower!

Well that was a cliffhanger. Except for the nudity, the sex, the f-bombs and incest, that as a good episode. Well, i can't wait for next episode.

The pilot was all kinds of awesome. I can only wonder how much money had been used for the pilot alone, it was pretty much movie like in all aspects. And I'm insanely happy that hbo picked this up, I mean seriously, with the exception of starz, it's pretty much the only network that will show the really gory and sexy parts. I approve.

Things that most impressed me:

-Costumes, loved the cultural shift from the European medieval clothes to the lighter, more Roman (for the girls) and Middle eastern (for the boys)
-Scenery, sets and props! Have you seen DAT Ned helmet, awesome sauce.
-Make-up and co! I loved the Dothraki paint and how they made Dany look absolutely ethereal.
-Casting for Ned, Tyrion, Dany and Viserys. (I think the actor absolutely nailed the character!)
-Dance at Dany's wedding..WOW!
-Brothel scene, fufufu, hilarious.
-Ned's badassness.

Things that could have been better:

-Portrayal of the little dire wolves, with the exception of Bran's, they hardly got and screen-time.
-Soundtrack was so dull.
-They had squeezed too much material in one episode, it was all kinda rushed. I suppose it was to actually have some sorta cliffhanger.

Thing that I hated:

-The change in Dany's and Dogo's first night...seriously, it wasn't supposed to look like rape... the bells!

I actually decided to blog this, despite it not being anime. It's rare than anything epic fantasy related gets this much mainstream public attention, especially on TV. HBO has already renewed it for a 2nd season.